SmartVENT Foundation Flood Vents


Flood Plain Management Quick Guide This Quick Guide will help you understand more about why and how communities manage floodplains to protect people and property. Flood-prone communities adopt ordinances that detail the rules and requirements. In case of conflict, that ordinance and not this publication, must be followed. If you have questions, be sure to talk with your local planning, permit, engineering or floodplain management office.	While this guide illustrates how communities in South Caroline protect themselves and their homes, many of the concepts illustrated in this guide apply to to anyone who lives within a floodplain. Smart Vent would like to thank The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources for sharing this guide with us. Click here to download PDF (3.7 mb)

Table of Contents
1 About This Guide 2 Introduction 3 South Carolina Floodplain Facts 4 Flood Insurance: Property Owner’s Best Protection 5 Turn Around Don't Drown™ 6 Why Do Communities Regulate the Floodplain? 7 Community Responsibilities 8 Looking for Floodplain Information? 9 FIRMette: Flood Maps On-Line 10 Understanding the Riverine Floodplain 11 Understanding the Floodway 12 New Format Flood Insurance Rate Map (Riverine) 13 Old Format Flood Insurance Rate Map (Riverine) 14 The Flood Boundary and Floodway Map 15 Use the Riverine Flood Profile to Determine BFEs 16 Approximate Flood Zones and Unnumbered A Zones 17 Understanding the Coastal Floodplain 18 The Flood Insurance Rate Map (Coastal) 19 Flood Map Revisions Issued by FEMA 20 Activities Requiring Permits Include: 21 Safe Uses of the Floodplain 22 Is Your Building Site Higher than the BFE? 23 What is Meant by Pre-FIRM and Post-FIRM? 24 Nature Doesn’t Read Maps 25 Think Carefully Before You Seek A Variance 26 Some Key Permit Review Steps 27 Carefully Complete the Permit Application 28 Freeboard: Go the Extra Foot! 29 What is the Elevation Certificate and How is it Used? 30 Completing the Elevation Certificate	31 Paperwork is Important – for You and Your Community 32 Floodplain Fill Can Make Things Worse 33 Required Floodway “No Impact” Certification 34 How to Elevate Your Floodplain Building 35 Compaction of Floodplain Fill 36 Manufactured Homes Require Special Attention 37 Enclosures Below the BFE 38 Crawlspace Details 39 Typical Elevation Methods for Coastal Buildings 40 Coastal Houses Must Resist Wind and Water Forces 41 The V Zone Certificate (Sample) 42 Enclosures Below V Zone Buildings 43 Utility Service Outside Buildings 44 Utility Service Inside Enclosures 45 Accessory (Appurtenant) Structures 46 Recreational Vehicles 47 Planning to Improve Your Floodplain Building? 48 Non-Substantial Improvements 49 Substantial Improvement: Renovation Only 50 Substantial Improvement: Lateral Addition Only 51 Substantial Improvement: Addition Plus Other Work 52 What About After Damages? 53 Paying for Post-Flood Compliance 54 Elevating a Pre-FIRM Building 55 Some Flood Protection for Older Homes is Easy and Low Cost 56 Some Flood Mitigation Projects are More Costly 57 Useful Resources and Common Acronyms 58 Want to Learn More?